In a world where pain should be treated equally, women’s pain continues to be underrepresented, misunderstood, and too often dismissed. Recognising this issue, Nurofen has launched the "See My Pain" campaign, which highlights the gender disparities in how pain is treated and pledges to close this gap.
The campaign brings attention to the fact that 1 in 6 women experience severe pain every day, but their pain is frequently overlooked in healthcare, ignored in research, and minimised due to ingrained gender biases. Nurofen's campaign aims to make pain visible - regardless of gender - and take action to ensure women’s pain is understood, treated, and properly managed.
Understanding the Gender Pain Gap
The Gender Pain Gap refers to the phenomenon in which pain experienced by women is poorly understood and mismanaged compared to pain experienced by men. This is a result of systemic gaps and biases in healthcare and research, which treat men as the "default" patient.
Women's pain conditions, such as endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and migraines, often go undiagnosed for years because of this disparity. In fact, studies have shown that women are more likely to have their pain dismissed as psychological or emotional, while men’s pain is taken more seriously and treated more aggressively.
Nurofen’s "See My Pain" campaign puts a spotlight on this discrepancy and vows to bring gender balance to the forefront of pain management and research.
The Knowledge and Research Gaps
One of the key factors driving the Gender Pain Gap is the lack of knowledge and research surrounding women’s pain. According to the UK Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, a "male as default" approach exists in clinical trials and medical research, leading to a significant knowledge gap about pain conditions that predominantly affect women.
Many studies that form the basis for medical treatment are skewed towards male biology, which means that conditions affecting women, like chronic pain syndromes, are under-researched and under-treated.
Nurofen’s campaign addresses this issue by committing to gender balance in clinical research, ensuring that future studies include women and investigate how different conditions impact men and women differently. This focus on closing the research gap is vital for developing pain treatments that work for everyone, not just for men.
The Long-Term Impact of Ignored Pain
When pain is overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed, the consequences can be severe. Women who live with untreated pain often experience significant disruptions in their daily lives.
According to research highlighted in Nurofen’s campaign, 41% of women report that chronic pain interferes with their sleep, while 39% say it limits their ability to exercise. Even more concerning is the emotional toll—almost a quarter of women report feeling depressed because of untreated pain, compared to less than a fifth of men.
The emotional, physical, and mental toll of living with chronic pain without proper treatment underscores the urgent need to close the Gender Pain Gap. By addressing this issue, Nurofen hopes to improve not only women’s health outcomes but their overall quality of life.
Nurofen’s Commitments to Change
Nurofen’s "See My Pain" campaign is more than just a pledge - it’s a comprehensive plan of action to make a tangible difference in how women’s pain is treated. Here’s how Nurofen is working to close the Gender Pain Gap:
Visible in Research: Nurofen commits to gender balance in the design, conduct, and analysis of clinical research. The company aims to ensure that women’s experiences with pain are studied and that any differences between how pain affects men and women are understood.
Visible in Healthcare: Nurofen will invest in training healthcare professionals (HCPs) to help them recognise and overcome gender biases in their daily work. By providing specific training on how to identify and treat pain in women, Nurofen is working to ensure that women’s pain is taken seriously in medical settings. The company’s HCP advisory board will review and guide this training.
Visible in Product Innovation: Nurofen pledges to continue developing new and improved solutions specifically targeted at managing women’s pain. This commitment to innovation will help bring products to market that address the unique pain challenges women face.
Visible Over Time: To measure progress, Nurofen has commissioned the Gender Pain Gap Index Report, which will track changes in how women’s pain is understood and treated over time. This annual report will monitor the evolving landscape of gender-based pain treatment and share findings with the broader medical industry, ensuring ongoing accountability and improvement.
Navigating Bias: The Free Pain Pass
As part of the "See My Pain" campaign, Nurofen is offering a tool called the Pain Pass, designed to help women tackle bias when discussing pain with healthcare providers. The Pain Pass allows women to track their symptoms, record their pain experiences, and arm themselves with information that helps make their pain more visible during medical appointments. By having a structured way to communicate their pain, women can advocate for better care and ensure their pain is taken seriously.
Making Women’s Pain Visible
Nurofen’s "See My Pain" campaign is a bold and necessary step toward addressing the inequalities women face in pain treatment. By shining a light on the Gender Pain Gap, investing in research, and committing to training healthcare professionals to recognise and overcome bias, Nurofen is working to ensure that women’s pain is no longer overlooked or dismissed.
The campaign’s pledge to make all pain visible, regardless of gender, marks a shift towards more inclusive healthcare - one that acknowledges and validates the pain women endure. By closing the knowledge gap, creating innovative solutions, and continuously tracking progress, Nurofen is setting the standard for how women’s pain should be addressed in the future.
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